


This Time Around

by regionalatliz



Category: Dead Poets Society (1989)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nighttime
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 23:54:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28715328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/regionalatliz/pseuds/regionalatliz
Summary: Neil wakes up Todd from a nightmare.
Relationships: Todd Anderson/Neil Perry
Comments: 5
Kudos: 41





	This Time Around

**Author's Note:**

> this is incredibly short, kind of rushed, and kind of boring, but the idea of a parallel came to me and i just needed to do it so here ya go 
> 
> i apologize in advance for any errors 
> 
> minor tw for mention of neil's death

“Todd. . . Todd. . .”

Todd woke with a start to pressure on his left shoulder. He let out a gasp, his eyes blurry with tears. Someone had been shaking him. 

“Todd?” 

Todd’s eyes cleared to focus on the person at his bedside. He relaxed. It was Neil. His brows were furrowed with worry, the moonlight filtering through the window just enough to illuminate his sharp features. Todd felt a squeezing in his chest at the sight. 

“Are you okay? I think you were having a nightmare.” Said Neil, standing from his position beside the bed to sit on the edge. Todd sat up nervously, trying to move himself as far away from Neil as possible. He didn’t want to seem. . .weird. 

“I’m fine,” Todd replied, looking anywhere but at his roommate’s concerned face, “Just a bad dream.” 

Neil nodded, unmoving from his spot on the bed. Hesitantly, he asked, “Do you want to talk about it?” 

“No, no, it’s fine.” Todd insisted, contrary to his trembling hands. Actually, his whole body was trembling. He felt as though he were shivering, only he wasn’t at all cold. “I’m fine.” 

Neil scoffed lightheartedly, grasping for Todd’s hand before holding it up. “I beg to differ.” 

Todd shook his head. “I’d rather not talk about it.” 

Neil’s eyes had softened, and he’d yet to let go of Todd’s hand. “That’s all right. You don’t have to. But you seem pretty freaked out, so what can I do to make you feel better?” 

Once more, Todd shook his head, taking his hand from Neil’s grasp. “Nothing. You should go back to sleep.” 

“I was awake anyway.” Neil stated, shrugging. “Couldn’t sleep, so I was memorizing lines.” 

“Oh.” 

Neil suddenly started grinning, leaning towards Todd, who unconsciously shrunk back against the wall. “How about I just read my lines to you? I won’t go full out or anything, so it’ll be like reading you a bedtime story.” 

“Neil. . .”

“Come on, Todd, please. . .” Neil replied, dragging out his plea like a toddler and placing his hand on Todd’s blanket-covered leg. Todd tried to breathe normally, thankful that his nightmare already made him look panicky. 

“Okay, fine, but as long as you go to bed eventually. I hate having to drag you to the bathroom the mornings after you stay up late.” Todd replied playfully, hoping to avoid bringing attention to the way his cheeks were burning and his heart was pounding. 

“Yeah, yeah, I promise.” Neil replied, overjoyed as he lept over to his bed to grab his script. Todd watched warily as Neil walked back over, bouncing as he always did when it came to anything related to acting. “Okay, lie down.” He commanded, gesturing to Todd’s pillow. Reluctantly, Todd got into a comfortable sleeping position. Neil sat down at the end of the bed, adjusting himself until he, too, was comfortable. “The king doth keep his revels here to-night. . .” 

_____

“Todd? . . . Todd. . .”

It was many weeks later when Todd woke to the feeling of pressure on his left arm once more. Todd recognized the feeling immediately, confused because he was certain he didn’t have a nightmare this time around. Todd peeled his eyes open, disappointed to see that it was Charlie. Neil had not returned after last night’s events. 

“Oh, Charlie,” Mumbled Todd, trying to turn over and go back to sleep. But Charlie only repeated his name, reaching for Todd’s shoulder again. It was then that Todd noticed that Charlie’s face was streaked with tears, and the rest of the boys—sans Cameron—were standing in the doorway. “What is it?” He asked, staring at the faces of shock and grief in his doorway. His heart was pounding in his chest. His throat was closing. He knew what words were coming next, somehow, but he begged the universe with everything in him not to let Charlie say them. Suddenly, he realized that he did indeed have a nightmare this time around. 

“Neil’s dead. . .”


End file.
